System and method for thermal process including a thermoelectric heat pump and internal heat exchanger

Abstract

A system for using a thermal cycle for healing or cooling. The system comprises a thermoelectric module flowing a gas; and an internal heat exchanger flowing the gas and exchanging heat between the gas and another fluid; the gas flow from at least one of the thermoelectric module and the internal heat exchanger flowing for heating or cooling. The system may be for using a closed cycle to remove a liquid from at least one object comprising moisture, the system comprising an enclosure containing the at least one object and arranged to receive a hot and dry gas for flow over the at least one object and thereby to produce a flow of moist gas at an intermediate temperature. The internal heat exchanger is arranged to exchange heat between the flow of the moist gas at the intermediate temperature and a flow of cold dry gas, thereby producing cooled moist gas and pre-warmed dry gas.

1. A method for using a closed thermal cycle to remove a liquid from at least one object comprising moisture, the method comprising:
 flowing a hot and dry gas, having flowed through a thermoelectric module, over the at least one object thereby producing moist gas at an intermediate temperature; 
 flowing the moist gas at the intermediate temperature through an internal heat exchanger, the moist gas at the intermediate temperature being in heat exchange relationship with cold dry gas flowing through the internal heat exchanger, thereby producing cooled moist gas; 
 flowing the cooled moist gas exiting the internal heat exchanger through a first heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with a cold side of the thermoelectric module, thereby condensing the liquid in the moist gas and producing cold dry gas; 
 flowing the cold dry gas exiting the first heat exchanger through the internal heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with the moist gas at the intermediate temperature, thereby pre-warming the cold dry gas; and 
 flowing the pre-warmed dry gas through a second heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with a hot side of the thermoelectric module, thereby closing the cycle by producing the hot dry gas flowed over the at least one object. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein flowing the hot and dry gas over the at least one object comprises flowing the hot and dry gas into an enclosure containing the object. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the gas comprises air and the liquid comprises water. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the enclosure comprises a drum of a tumble dryer. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first heat exchanger, second heat exchanger and internal heat exchanger comprises a fin heat exchanger. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first heat exchanger, second heat exchanger and internal heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of a shell and tube heat exchanger, a tube in tube heat exchanger, a twisted tube heat exchanger and a plate type heat exchanger. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the thermoelectric module comprises p- and n-doped semiconductor materials. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the liquid is removed from the object without use of a compression heat pump or electrical resistance heater. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the internal heat exchanger exchanges heat in at least one of a cross flow, counter flow, or concurrent flow configuration. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger and second heat exchanger are arranged in at least one of a cross flow, counter flow, or concurrent flow configuration. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger and second heat exchanger are parts of a single heat exchanger that comprises the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
       12. A system for using a closed thermal cycle to remove a liquid from at least one object comprising moisture, the system comprising:
 a thermoelectric module flowing a gas, thereby producing hot and dry gas; 
 an enclosure containing the at least one object and arranged to receive the hot and dry gas for flow over the at least one object and thereby to produce a flow of moist gas at an intermediate temperature; 
 an internal heat exchanger arranged to exchange heat between the flow of the moist gas at the intermediate temperature and a flow of cold dry gas, thereby producing cooled moist gas and pre-warmed dry gas; and 
 the thermoelectric module comprising a first heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with a cold side of the thermoelectric module and a second heat exchanger in heat exchange relationship with a hot side of the thermoelectric module, 
 the first heat exchanger being arranged to flow the cooled moist gas in heat exchange relationship with the cold side of the thermoelectric module thereby condensing the liquid in the cooled moist gas and producing cold dry gas, the cold dry gas being arranged to be flowed through the internal heat exchanger thereby producing the pre-warmed dry gas, and 
 the second heat exchanger being arranged to flow the pre-warmed dry gas in heat exchange relationship with the hot side of the thermoelectric module, thereby closing the cycle by producing the hot dry gas arranged to be received by the enclosure. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the gas comprises air and the liquid comprises water. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the enclosure comprises a drum of a tumble dryer. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first heat exchanger, second heat exchanger and internal heat exchanger comprises a fin heat exchanger. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first heat exchanger, second heat exchanger and internal heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of a shell and tube heat exchanger, a tube in tube heat exchanger, a twisted tube heat exchanger and a plate type heat exchanger. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the thermoelectric module comprises p- and n-doped semiconductor materials. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the system does not comprise a compression heat pump or electrical resistance heater. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the internal heat exchanger is arranged to exchange heat in at least one of a cross flow, counter flow, or concurrent flow configuration. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first heat exchanger and second heat exchanger are arranged in at least one of a cross flow, counter flow, or concurrent flow configuration. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first heat exchanger and second heat exchanger are parts of a single heat exchanger that comprises the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
       22. A system for using a closed cycle to remove a liquid from at least one object comprising moisture, the system for removing the liquid comprising:
 an enclosure means containing the at least one object and being for receiving a hot and dry gas for flow over the at least one object and thereby producing a flow of moist gas at an intermediate temperature; 
 an internal heat exchanger means for exchanging heat between the flow of the moist gas at the intermediate temperature and a flow of cold dry gas, thereby producing cooled moist gas and pre-warmed dry gas; and 
 a thermoelectric module means comprising a first heat exchanger means in heat exchange relationship with a cold side of the thermoelectric module means and a second heat exchanger means in heat exchange relationship with a hot side of the thermoelectric module means, 
 the first heat exchanger means being for flowing the cooled moist gas in heat exchange relationship with the cold side of the thermoelectric module means thereby condensing the liquid in the cooled moist gas and producing cold dry gas, the cold dry gas being arranged to be flowed through the internal heat exchanger means thereby producing the pre-warmed dry gas, and 
 the second heat exchanger means being for flowing the pre-warmed dry gas in heat exchange relationship with the hot side of the thermoelectric module means, thereby closing the cycle by producing the hot dry gas for receiving by the enclosure.